Community-based multiple screening for metabolic syndrome by innovative theory: A longitudinal study.

The purpose of this research is to elucidate whether metabolic syndrome affects the rate of adoption of a new multiple cancer screening programme, based on the Diffusion of Innovation theory. The time to attend the screening programme, conducted in Keelung, Taiwan, within 10 years was assessed by innovativeness (innovators, early adaptors, early majority, late majority and laggard) using data from 79,303 residents, with the information on metabolic syndrome accrued from routine adult health check-ups. The median time of adopting the programme and the relative rates of early adoption by metabolic syndrome and its severity score were estimated.

Lung function and respiratory diseases in people with psychosis: population-based study.

Background: There is little information on lung function and respiratory diseases in people with psychosis.

Aims: To compare the respiratory health of people with psychosis with that of the general population.

Method: In a nationally representative sample of 8028 adult Finns, lung function was measured by spirometry.

Six-year follow-up and predictors of urgency-associated urinary incontinence and bowel symptoms among the oldest old: a population-based study.

Urinary urgency with incontinence, and fecal incontinence and constipation were followed up over a 6-year period in 398 subjects aged 70 years and over at baseline. Age- and gender-adjusted and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the associations of urinary urgency and fecal incontinence and constipation with mortality, and logistic regression models to determine predictors of incident symptoms among the survivors. The proportion of incident cases of urinary urgency with incontinence, fecal incontinence and constipation in the 252 survivors were 17% (n=46), 9% (n=34) and 13% (n=36), respectively.

Transparent criteria for specialist level adolescent psychiatric care.

Background: Rising health care costs and long waiting lists pose a challenge to public specialist level health services. In Finland, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health required all medical specialities to create a priority-rating tool for elective patients, preferably giving a numerical rating ranging 0-100, with 50 as an entry threshold.

Objective: To create and test the psychometric properties of a point-count measure for prioritising entry to public specialist level adolescent psychiatric services.

Increase in involuntary psychiatric admissions of minors. A register study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the frequency and trend over time of involuntary psychiatric admissions of minors, and to examine the psychiatric diagnoses in involuntary admissions of minors as compared to those admitted on a voluntary basis.

Method: A retrospective register study was made during the period 1996-2000 of a nationally representative hospital discharge register in Finland.

Results: Involuntary admissions of children (aged < 12) and adolescents (aged 12-17) increased vastly over the study period, both in absolute figures and in proportion to all admissions in the age groups.

The effect of physical activity on breast cancer risk: a cohort study of 30,548 women.

Background: In epidemiological studies abundant physical activity has been related to decreased breast cancer risk, though the results have been inconsistent. The purpose of this paper was to study the association of physical activity at leisure and commuting to work and incidence of breast cancer.

Methods: The study cohort consisted of 30,548 female participants of the Finnish adult health behaviour survey, based on annual random samples of Finns aged 15-64, collected in 1978-1993.

Renal function and blood pressure five years after puumala virus-induced nephropathy.

Background: Nephropathia epidemica (NE) is a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome caused by Puumala hantavirus. Its long-term prognosis is considered favorable. Some reports suggest, however, that a previous hantavirus infection increases the risk of hypertension.